When it’s sunny and hot outside all I crave is a fresh ear of corn, so sweet and refreshing! Did you know corn, also known as maize, is actually a grass? There are hundreds of varieties of corn and all of them are Indian corn. The number of kernels per ear varies from 500 to 1,200, but a typical ear has around 800 kernels. Corn is planted when the soil is warm enough to germinate the seeds but not so early that the young plants care likely to be damaged by frost. It’s peak harvest season is the warm summer months so be sure to head over the your local farmer’s market or fruit stand to pick up some local corn soon. If you’re anything like me and hate getting little pieces of corn stuck between your teeth, here’s a helpful tip! Cut the fresh corn off the cob making sure not to waste any of the liquid that oozes out. This liquid is known as milk and has tons of flavor, and is fantastic when mixed with fresh corn cut from the cob and a little salt, pepper and a touch of butter.—
Fun Fact- Corn is eaten in many different ways and in all kinds of shapes, textures, and colors. Corn is an ingredient in more than 3,000 grocery products and many of these are items that may surprise you such as cereal and peanut butter. Corn is also prevalent in all stages of the food cycle – your bacon and egg breakfast, glass of milk at lunch, and hamburger for for dinner are all produced with U.S. corn.
-Jessi Walter, cupcakekids.com
